Fractures of long bones such as the femur are fairly common. Various techniques are employed for holding together parts of a fractured bone during the healing process. Prior to the fixation of the bone fragments, however, it is first required that the fracture be reduced, that is, the various bone fragments or pieces must be repositioned in their proper relative arrangement before the fractured bone can be fixed or stabilized for healing. A great many devices have been proposed for the reduction of fractures of this type. While many of these devices have found application and have advantages relative one to another, there remain some problems and areas of continuing concern.
In one device, fixation pins are inserted through the bone fragments to provide for the desired reduction. Although this device is said to be able to reduce the fracture, it involves a relatively complicated procedure in that movement of one component will affect the orientation of any other component. Furthermore, rotation is limited in view of the skin and tissue through which the pins penetrate.
Elastic nails have also been used to provide reduction. The nails are passed into the intramedullary canal of a bone through a hole in the bone and are then rotated so as to reduce the fractured femoral head using the entry point into the intramedullary canal as a fulcrum. Since the bone hole serves as a fulcrum point, elastic nails are not generally capable of fine adjustment or ease of use within the intramedullary canal. Moreover, because the entire length of the nails is elastic, fine control over the positioning of the distal end of the nail is difficult.
What is needed, therefore, is a reduction tool and method which provides improved reduction capabilities. What is further needed is a tool and method which reduces damage to soft tissue while allowing reduction of bone fragments which are misaligned.